“Chinese virus” or “kung flu” are racist terms that put Asian and Asian Americans at risk of hate crimes. After the international news broke about the coronavirus and Washington’s first case confirmed on January 21, immigrant and refugee community leaders and organizations noticed an alarming increase in bias and harassment against Asian American communities. The Trump administration’s continued use of these terms unfairly blame Asian/Asian American people and people that look Asian.
Right away, business was down in Seattle’s Chinatown/International District restaurants because of bias and incorrect information. COVID-19 does not respect borders, it does not discriminate based on race or ethnicity. We are all learning now that the spread of COVID-19 can only be prevented through social distancing, hand washing and staying home if you’re ill.
We can all do our part to disrupt racism when we see it. Start by getting accurate information from trusted sources like the Centers for Disease Control, Washington Department of Health and Public Health Seattle-King County. For a COVID-19 anti-bias toolkit, click here.